HOME INVASION ROBBERY: This happened near 18th SW/SW Elmgrove [map] on Monday afternoon; the first we heard about it was when the victim e-mailed us days later, and the police-report details aren’t available online. But the victim wants to be sure the neighborhood knows about it:

It happened Monday afternoon at 2 pm. I was in my bathroom in the basement when he came in with a gun. He immediately asked me to FIND THE DOPE.

He had already been in the house when I was in the shower but he wasn’t finding what he thought i had. He led me to another room and told me again and again to find the DOPE.

I was shaking and begging him not to hurt me and somehow I found a backpack and that made him happy so he told me to lie on the floor and be quiet for 10 mins. … He took all my jewelry and electronics including phones etc. They took everything.

A neighbor told the victim about seeing a white truck in the alley and “watched 3 men in hoodies enter (the victim’s) yard.” That’s all the description information we have at this point; we’ll pursue the full police report tomorrow.

ADDED 3 PM MONDAY: Added details from the police-report narrative – The report says the robber was described as a black man, about 30, “dark baseball hat, satin-like green jacket that looked like a Sonics jacket.” No vehicle was mentioned. The victim’s husband was reported to have been home and asleep, and the robber might have entered through an unlocked door or window.

(back to original Sunday night report)LICENSE-PLATE THEFT: From Ross:

Last night (or possibly earlier), our license plates were stolen from our Honda CR-V that we rarely drive. It was parked on 37th between Juneau and Findlay. We’ve reported the theft to the police, but wanted to get the word out. A Washington D.C. license plate was swapped onto the back of our car.

MAIL THEFT: It happened to Sarah south of Westwood, and she has some helpful advice to share about reporting cases like hers:

A neighbor found my empty package on 26th Ave SW just south of Roxbury. Inside my rifled package was another empty envelope that belonged to someone who lives just off 26th on 106th Ave. I left their empty envelope on their doorstep with a note attached. My package was supposed to contain a scarf I ordered from Scotland. The other empty envelope looked like the person had attempted to use their own mailbox to mail a check or something worth stealing. I didn’t file a police report but did call the USPS Inspection Service on Saturday afternoon. After a brief phone tree, a lady answered and took my statement and said a file had been created for my case. She also said to alert other neighbors that reporting mail theft to them is a really good idea because the more complaints they receive, the more likely they are to open an investigation for our zip code, 98106. If anyone wishes to file a complaint they are encouraged to call Postal Inspectors at 877-876-2455 (press 3). Here is the webpage I used.

THANKS ... for sharing Crime Watch information. If it’s happening NOW – call 911! Then let us know, when you can. Our 24-hour tipline is 206-293-6302, text or voice. If it’s not happening now, e-mail is the next best thing, editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!

The home invasion is scary. Sounds like these people were looking for a specific house ( not to say this one was it) with specific “merchandise”.

I may seem overly paranoid, but this is why when no one else is home I turn on the alarm when showering and also at night before bed.

Did the neighbor not think it suspicious that three guys wearing hoodies we’re going into their neighbor’s house? This is why it’s important to have community networking. At the very least the call can be made to the neighbor to see if it’s legit or not if they’re home.

Two people in those incidents. And certainly there are a lot of white trucks (ATM theft recently, for example, though that was described as a Chevrolet). My request for the report, which I hope has further descriptive details, goes in when the SPD media office opens in half an hour.

I have the report now – nothing in it about a truck or multiple robbers, so perhaps the victim talked with neighbor(s) after police left. I will be adding the few additional details to the narrative above.

This is horrible. Time to elect city officials who give a damn about the safety of their citizens. WS desperately needs more law enforcement but the mayor and council have far more pressing issues such as a bike share program! Vote them out!

Here are the facts: 1) you cannot leave anything in your parked car because criminals will certainly break windows to steal any item even an empty bag; 2) you cannot go on a late-summer evening walk for fear of an armed robber stealing your hard-earned possessions; 3) you cannot be alone and relaxing in your home without setting an alarm, locking windows and doors for fear of criminals who want to rob you of your hard-earned possessions. So what do honest, hard-working individuals do to protect themselves against all of the criminals in Seattle/King County? What are Seattle’s/King County’s leaders doing to protect the honest, hard-working individual against criminals?

I hope the victim in this case has support to get over the trauma of this home invasion.

Enjoy playing cards? Make plans to be at Meeples Games (3727 California SW) on Thursday night to play a new card game with the local dad and daughter who created it. Their announcement: West Seattle father and daughter team, Chad and Lillian Gray, invite you to come and play their new card game, Goa...